Minicamp report

Todd Korth

04/24/2002

With the regular season still more than four months away, Mike Sherman is using the post-draft minicamp as a time to experiment with players in different positions and new schemes on offense and defense.<p>

So Sherman looked on Wednesday as defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila lined up at outside linebacker and tight end Bubba Franks threw a pass on an option play. Gbaja-Biamila led the Packers with 13.5 sacks last year as a situational pass-rusher. Franks scored nine touchdowns and was named to his first Pro Bowl after catched 36 passes for 322 yards.

"In this minicamp, particularly the first part of this minicamp, anything that we want to try new for next season we did and we put (Gbaja-Biamila) there," Sherman said. "It helps us because we are deep at the ‘elephant' position. We're certainly not going to sit him down because of his pass-rushing skills. So if we can get a two-for-one out of him, it certainly will make my job easier coming up with a 45-man roster."

"To have have him be a backup as a linebacker, play special teams, be a pass rusher is what we're shooting for in the next two days – today and tomorrow – to see where he is and to see if he's adaptable to that type of situation."

Sherman said the Packers will experiment Thursday as well. Rookies and free agents will begin practicing with the team on Friday. The Packers will practice Saturday and Sunday before returning again in early June for the final minicamp of the off-season.